Hampshire College president pledges action after student walkout

AMHERST, Mass.—Students at Hampshire College staged a walkout Monday to protest what they say is the administration's inaction on issues of institutional racism and campus diversity.

After the walkout and a series of meetings with students, the private liberal arts college's president issued a statement pledging to address issues including funding for student groups and training for faculty, staff and students.

President Ralph Hexter said a series of meetings with activists starting Friday and continuing through the weekend led the administration to develop "a comprehensive set of 'action items' to address the issues raised by students."

A coalition of student activist groups called the walkout after holding an additional meeting with Hexter on Monday morning to discuss 17 demands that the students recently submitted to administrators.

About 345 students cut classes and demonstrated in front of the president's office and the main campus library, said Romina Ruiz, a spokeswoman for a student activist coalition.

"The administration definitely understood that the walkout was an escalation of our tactics," she said.

Hexter issued his statement about five hours after the walkout began. Afterward, Ruiz said the activists had not yet decided whether to continue the walkout on Tuesday.

Nancy Kelly, an adviser to Hexter, declined to comment on how many of the school's 1,350 students walked out.

The activists' list of demands includes such items as re-establishing a Dean of Multicultural Affairs position, additional faculty positions in studies about minority groups, and "mandatory anti-oppression training" for faculty and staff.